12/1/2017 football Edit

Four-star linebacker Payton Wilson joins NC State's recruiting class

Matt Carter • TheWolfpackCentral

Editor

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NC State reeled in a big piece of its recruiting class Friday afternoon when four-star linebacker Payton Wilson of Orange High in Hillsborough, N.C., announced on Twitter his verbal commitment to the Wolfpack.

Wilson was a one-time UNC pledge who revealed shortly before Thanksgiving that he was opening up his recruitment. The likely early enrollee officially visited NC State (Nov. 4) and Notre Dame (Nov. 18), and hosted both schools for in-homes this week.

He previewed his decision to pick NC State in an interview with Rivals.com’s Adam Friedman earlier this week and started by citing his relationship with defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable and head coach Dave Doeren.

“Coach Hux and Coach Doeren, honestly, they are great people and I love them more as coaches,” he said. “I feel like they can develop me to be the best person I can be for college or, hopefully, the next level. I do really fit in well with the school and the people. I feel like I fit in well with the players too.”

Wilson added the gameday atmosphere at NC State's Carter-Finley Stadium also impressed him.

“It’s the best you’re going to get on the east coast,” he said. “They pack the stadium if they are playing a D-II school or if they’re playing Clemson. The atmosphere is insane. NC State is known for their run defense and I really love that.

Rivals.com ranks the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Wilson a four-star recruit, the No. 133 player in the country regardless of position, the No. 7 recruit in the state and the No. 7 outside linebacker nationally.

As a senior, Wilson played eight games before suffering a torn ACL. He had 103 tackles, including 21 for loss and 10 sacks, a pick-six, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Stanford, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin were among Wilson’s many offers during the recruiting process. He originally committed to UNC on May 1 over Clemson and Virginia Tech before decommitting on Nov. 22.

Wilson gives NC State's 20 overall verbal commitments and joins running back Ricky Person (No. 91) from Wake Forest (N.C.) Heritage High and quarterback Devin Leary (No. 222) from Sicklerville (N.J.) Timber Creek High as Rivals250 commits.